Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia and Albania adopted a declaration on coordinated action on the construction of transport route Bari/Brindisi - Durres/Vlora - Tirana - Skopje - Sofia - Burgas/Varna

Bulgaria will work on integrating transport route Bari/Brindisi - Durres/Vlora - Tirana - Skopje - Sofia - Burgas/Varna (Corridor VIII) in the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). This was announced by Minister of Transport, Information Technology Communications Nikolina Angelkova at a briefing, after she welcomed participants in the conference “The Balkans - Infrastructure and Transport links between the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea”.

Earlier today, Minister Angelkova held a meeting with Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Macedonia Mile Janakieski and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Albania Edmond Haxhinasto. The ministers agreed the three countries to adopt a joint Declaration on coordinated action on the construction of Corridor № 8. They also agreed on setting up a working group and choosing a coordinator for the joint project, as well as on holding annual tripartite meetings of transport ministers.

In her speech, Minister Angelkova stressed that “given the importance of this route, not only at regional but also at European level, we have tried to defended the inclusion of most of the route in the “main” Trans-European Transport Newtork.  Direction Sofia - Plovdiv - Burgas is part of the Orient/East-Med Corridor, as well as part of the Rail Network for Competitive Freight, established by Regulation 913/2010.”

Minister Angelkova informed that the project for the design of the railway line connecting Radomir and Gueshevo was included in OP Transport and Transport Infrastructure 2014 - 2020, and added that coordinated investment in the transport system, both at the national and the regional level, were a guarantee for the successful future and welfare of citizens in the region, and would improve the free movement of people and goods.

Coordinated investment in the transport system, both at the national and the regional level, would improve the free movement of people and goods.